Mail-box.



No. 762,332. I PATENTED JUNE 14, 1904.

' G. J. MASSEY.

MAIL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED. SEPT. 1. 1903. N0 MODEL.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

f jwglmeutnv I 2% 14 gumm zM cagfifw 5% W PATENTED JUNE'M, 1904.

G. J. MASSEY.

MAIL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED snP'T. 1, 1908.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

N0 MODEL.

300122552 v I gig gttnmtegg W ing-bracket.

Patented June 14, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

GILBERT J. MASSEY, OF ADRIAN, MICHIGAN.

MAIL-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 762,332, dated June 14, 1904.

l Application filed September 1, 1903. Serial No. 171,501. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GILBERT J MASSEY, a citizen of. the United States, residing at Adrian, in the county of Lenawee, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail Boxes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to mail-boxes, and more particularly to that class of mail-boxes designed for rural free delivery.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of partshereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out particularly in the claims.

The object of the invention is to provide a mail-box of simple and inexpensive construction in which the arrangement is such as to enable the box to open widely to facilitate the removal of mail therefrom and allow the mail to be readily deposited therein, the box,

being so mounted as to enable it to be opened by an upward pressure upon the under side thereof and to render it self-closing, at the same time being so formed as to prevent the entrance of water therein.

The above object is attained by the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mailbox embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an end elevation showing by dotted lines the box in an open position. Fig. 3, is a transverse section through the box closed. Fig. 4 is a like section through the box open. Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the box, partly in section, showing the targetor signal in position to look the box closed. Fig. 6 is a like view showing the target in position to lock the box open. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section through the box and the arms of its support- Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view in perspective showing the pivot upon which the box is hung. Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view in perspective showing the box open. Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view in front elevation of one end of the box.

Referring to the characters of reference, 1 designates the body of the box, which is cylindrical in form and provided with circular ends 2. An opening 3 is formed in the upper arc of the body of the box, which is sufliciently wide to allow of the introduction of any article that the box is capable of holding. At the front edge of the opening 3 isadownwardly-inclined lip 4, which, in connection with the cover, as hereinafter explained, serves as a guard to the entrance of water into the box at the front. At the rear of the body there is an outwardly-turned flange 5, which is adapted to engage the inwardlyturned flange 6 on the cover 7, whereby when the box is closed the entrance of water into the box at the rear is prevented.

The cover 7 is semicylindrical in form and is provided with the segmental ends 8. The ends of the cover overhang the ends of the box and embrace a portion thereof, said ends being pivoted together by means of the bolts 9, which pass concentrically therethrough, as clearly shown in Fig. 7. The box is supported by a bracket; 10 to the outer ends of the arms 11, of which said box is pivoted upon the bolts 12, which pass through said arms and through the ends of the box.

The ends of the cover, as above stated, are pivoted to the ends of the box by means of the bolts 9. Formed in the ends of thecover are the oblique slots 13. Projecting through the arms 11 of the bracket and into said slots are the pins 14. By this arrangement as the cover is raised the box swings upwardly upon its pivots 12, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. This movement is accomplished because of the pins 14., which engage in the slots 13 'in the ends of the cover and form practically the fulcrum or hinge upon which the cover swings in opening, the length of said'slot 13 allowing for the change in the position of the when the box is closed.

cover. When the cover is released, the box will swing downwardly upon its fulcrum 12, carrying the pivotal point of union 9 between the box and cover below a horizontal line through the pivot-pins 12 and 14, causing the cover to swing to the closed position.

It will be noted that when open the area of the opening is nearly equal to the diametrical area of the box, enablinga large packet to be placed within the box and also facilitating the removal of mail-matter therefrom.

It will be noted, on referring to the transverse sectional views, that the lip 1, which extends longitudinally of the lower edge of the box-opening, is curved concentric with the are of the cover and lies closely thereto From the front edge of the cover projects a lateral flange 15, which forms a water-shed which protects the front opening when the box is closed and which also serves as a means for opening the cover, as said flange may be grasped by the operator when tilting the cover to expose the interior of the box. Projecting from the wall of the box, near the center thereof, is an ear 16, having an aperture 22 therein, which registers with an aperture 23 in the flange 15, thereby affording means for locking the box, if desired.

By pivoting the box at a point near its forward edge, as shown, it may be opened by an upward pressure against the bottom thereof, an arrangement which enables the postman to open the box without using his hands by pressing his knee against the under side of the box, a matter of convenience when the postmans hands are full of mail.

To provide a signal which may be employed to indicate the presence of mail in the box, an arm 17 is pivoted upon one of the pins 14:. Said pin passes through a slot 18 in said arm and maintains said arms movably in place. Upon the upper end of said arm is a signaldisk 19, and in the lower end thereof is a notch 20. (See Figs. 5 and 6.) Projecting from the end 8 of the cover is a pin 21, which is so positioned as to hold the signal-arm in a vertical position when the box is closed and the arm is placed with said notch over said pin. Upon the opening of the box the signal falls to a horizontal position. When the box is closed, it may be temporarily locked from being opened by swinging the signal-arm forward to the position shown in Fig. 5, whereby the arm so engages the pin 21 as to prevent the box from being opened by preventing the upward movement of said pin. In like manner when the box is opened it may be temporarily locked in the open position by placing the signal-arm as shown in Fig. 6, whereby the pin 21 is again engaged to prevent the movement thereof necessary in effecting the closure of the box.

Having thus fully set forth my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a mail-box, the combination of the body supported at its forward edge to swing in the arc of a circle, a cover pivoted centrally to the ends of the body, the ends of said cover having a movable engagement with fixed supports located between the rear edge of the box and the point of pivotal union between the box and cover.

2. In a mail-box, the combination with the cylindrical body supported at its forward edge to swing in the arc of a circle, a cover fitting over the body and centrally pivoted at its ends thereto, said cover having in each end an inclined slot and a fixed pin entering each of said slots.

3. In a mail-box, the combination with the cylindrical box having an opening therein, and a downwardly-turned lip at the front edge of said opening, of a semicylindrical cover pivoted concentrically to the ends of the box adapted to swing over and cover said lip, said cover having an outwardly-projecting flange at its front edge which projects beyond and over hangs the lip of the box.

4:. In a mail-box,the combination of the body hung at 'its forward edge to swing in the are of a circle, a cover fitting upon said body,

having a sliding engagement with a fixed support, said cover and box being pivoted at their ends between the point of engagement of the cover with said fixed support and the pivotal point of the mounting of the body, whereby the box is raised as the cover is opened and the cover is automatically closed when released.

5. In a mail-box, the combination with the body, of a support at each end to which the body is pivoted near the front edge thereof, a cover also attached to said support and pivoted to the body to cause the body to swing upwardly as the cover is opened, and to automatically close as the body swings back after the cover is released.

6. The combination with a cylindrical mailbox having circular ends, of a support to which the box is pivoted near its front edge, a cover so mounted upon the box and so supported as to'tilt the box upwardly when the cover is raised to present the box-opening 8. The combination of a cylindrical mail-' box pivotally supported, a cover pivoted to said box and having a sliding engagement with In testimony whereof I sign this specificat1on 1n the presence of tWo Witnesses.

GILBERT J. MASSEY.

Witnesses:

GoLDIE S. RoenRs, J. C. ROWLEY. 

